Category: Art and Poetry

Narrative verse on the merchant service in convoy.

Portraits of the men of the RCN at work.

One photographer's impressions of the RCN in WWII.

A narrative poem of the RCN escort of convoy SC42.

Catalogue of an exhibition with a good representative selection of art covering the war at sea.

An illustrated review of the work of the official war artists, many with naval relevance.

The first full collection of his war poems, including a long episodic poem on convoy JW51B and the Battle of the Barents Sea. The author served mainly in destroyers in the Arctic and North Sea and this is reflected in the subjects of the poems.

A book of poems inspired by her husband, who was a Naval Officer who died on duty at sea in the summer of 1940. He died of septic endocarditus,the effect of unceasing strain and an occupational disease common among Captains of ships in war-time. There is a long biographical introduction by his friend Eric Linklater.

A miscellaneous collection of poetry by a prizewinning poet serving as an RNVR Lieutenant.

Represents the work of over 200 artists from a dozen countries. Naval affairs are well-represented. The book is arranged chronologically and is interspersed with snippets of letters, reports, and anecdotes. Excellent colour reproductions.

The film starred Ralph Richardson and Googie Withers in a tale of resistance by Dutch shipyard workers who sabotage U-boats under construction.

A mixed bag of the famous and the anonymous, mainly serving naval personnel, with illustrations by Captain Jack Broome.

A selection of paintings of twentieth century warships.

MILES, Peter. A Gift of Observation. 87p., illus. London: Buckland, 1988. ISBN: 0721207944.

About 50 contemporary watercolours. Miles served on Newcastle on the Northern Patrol, at Norway, at Plymouth, and in the Mediterranean, then at the end of 1940 moved to the destroyer Versatile running East Coast convoys. In early 1942 he was appointed to the submarine Clyde in the Mediterranean. After a long refit in the US she operated in the Far East. In mid-1945 he took command of Volatile in the training flotilla at Rothesay. The pictures vividly illustrate all of his activities.

RUSSELL, James. Ravilious: Submarine. 70p., illus. Norwich: Mainstone, 2013. ISBN: 0955277795.

A slim volume with some beautiful reproductions of his submarine art.

RIDING, Christine. (ed.). Art and the War at Sea 1914-1945. 208p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Lund Humphries, 2015. ISBN: 9781848221680.

Based on the collections of the National Maritime Museum, this collection of essays focuses more on the First World War than the Second. But it provides excellent essays on the role of art in war.

DAVIES, Caroline. Convoy. 95p. Blaenau Ffestiniog: Cinnamon Press, 2013. ISBN: 9781907090851.

A debut collection of original poetry based on the Malta convoys in which her grandfather served. Based firmly on historical events.

A collection of photographs arranged thematically, which powerfully recreates the war at sea.

A long narrative poem.

A history of the important naval events of the war to date, relating them to parallel incidents of the past. Largely illustrated with paintings by members of the Society of Marine Artists.

A series of war paintings of the merchant fleet by Frank H. Mason, with an accompanying text.

Good line drawings and derivative poems describing life ashore.

Biographies of the artists and a rich selection of their works in colour. Focuses on the army, but has some naval interest

An anthology of exchanges of signals in verse between two motor minesweepers on the English South Coast in the days leading up to the Normandy invasion. PAD was a warning at the start of a signal that because of its length a signal pad would be required to take it down.

A deservedly little-known poem by a Merchant Navy Officer. It was written between watches on the way to Murmansk. His ship, the Goulistan, was lost with all hands on the return voyage.

An epic poem accompanied by the original report of the action from the New York Tribune. First read on radio by Ronald Coleman.

An alphabetical listing of 3,000 films from Ancient Greece to Desert Storm, with date, director, original book, actors, and description.

A collection of poetry and verse from the RCN's Atlantic War.

Poems by sailors stationed in Halifax, collected and originally published in the Messdeck Annie column of the Halifax Mail.

A general guide with over 250 illustrations and biographical notes, which includes a section on the war artists.

Reproductions of pictures by official war artists along with some brief commentary.

A traveling exhibition catalogue for Spencer's important works as a war artist in the shipyards of the Clyde.

A collection of paintings and drawings by Navy Combat Artists of the men of the USN in action in all theaters of war.